Once Bitten (Shadow Guild: The Rebel 1)

The memory of the burning made my stomach lurch, but I ignored it. I lunged upright, moving for the altar.

“No.” The Devil’s voice was weak. He’d made it to his feet, but he was being poisoned by the black oil that covered him. “Let me.”

I ignored him, stretching my hand out for the gem, determined to tear it away before it reached the girl.

Pain like I’d never known shot through my hand and up my arm. Tears stung my eyes, and sweat broke out on my skin. I pushed my hand harder, forcing it through the thick, agonizing air. It was like shoving my hand through a container full of glass.

A warm, solid weight pressed against my shin. I glanced down, spotting Cordelia. The little raccoon had appeared, gluing herself against my side. Warmth and strength flowed from her into me, giving me more power.

I pushed harder, and a scream tore from my throat as my hand closed around the gem.

Falling away, I landed on my back with the orb in my hand, then panted as I blinked up at the ceiling. The pain had stopped. My head spun as I sat up. On the altar, the girl lay still. I opened my palm. The red stone I held glowed with a faint light.

“What did you do?” The Devil’s voice was a croak.

He stood before me, his face pale.

Then he collapsed to his knees.

I scrambled toward him, clutching the stone in my hand. “Are you okay? What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m—” The words couldn’t escape him.

Eve landed next to us, her glittery wings folding back into her body. “He’s been poisoned by the necromancer.” She dug a hand into one of her many pockets and pulled out a vial. She opened it, dumped the contents into her hand, and blew the powder on the Devil.

It coated him, and the oil began to disappear.

“Will that fix him?” I demanded.

In front of me, the Devil swayed, hardly able to stay upright.

“I think it’s too late.” Eve frowned, confusion flickering in her eyes. “The oil has sucked the life from him.”

“But it’s gone now. The oil is gone.” Her powder had absorbed it all, leaving him looking clean and new. And pale. So damned pale. Even his eyes looked almost colorless.

“So is most of his life force.”

“But—” I searched his face. Had he known this would happen when he’d blasted through the necromancer’s protective shield and grabbed him?

Yes.

Somehow, I knew the answer was yes.

And I also knew how to fix him. My gaze flicked to his mouth, to his fangs that were now retracted.

Could I do this?

Yes.

The answer was yes.

I moved toward him, still gripping the gem that I didn't understand. Quickly, I wrapped my arms around him and bared my neck. His head dipped toward me as if he couldn’t help it, a low groan tearing from his throat. But I didn’t feel his teeth.

“Bite me,” I demanded.

“Are you sure?” His voice was rough.

“You’ll die without it, right?”